PhD in Sustainability science

Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies (LUCSUS)

The Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies (LUCSUS) is an institute hosting research and education to address sustainability challenges with a critical perspective and solutions-based approaches. Our research projects focus on five sustainability themes: climate change & resilience, land-use governance & development, urban governance & transformation, energy justice & sustainability of energy systems and biodiversity & natural resource management. Our research is often conducted in national and international cooperation. LUCSUS strives to catalyse change, on both a local and a global level, for a more sustainable society and future. The educational programmes at LUCSUS include two Master programmes (LUMES & LUCAS)  and a PhD research school. The working language of LUCSUS is English. As of 1 January 2019, LUCSUS is part of the Social Sciences faculty at Lund University.

Sustainability Science PhD programme

The PhD programme in sustainability science consists of 240 credits (equivalent to four years of full-time studies); it concludes with the public defence of a doctoral thesis. The appointed doctoral student will receive a salary from the University for the four years, where their primary obligation is to complete the PhD studies. The PhD position also may involve departmental duties, mainly in the form of teaching of up to 20 per cent of full time working hours, in which case the position appointment will be extended by the equivalent number of hours. The doctoral student will have access to a work space at LUCSUS, and is expected to be based full-time in Lund. The terms of employment for doctoral students are regulated in the Swedish Higher Education Ordinance (HF), Chapter 5, Sections 1– 7.

The Agrodrive centre and Academy

The successful candidate will conduct their research as part of the Agrodrive centre which is funded by the Swedish government research council FORMAS. The objective of Agrodrive is to facilitate the transition to fossil-free energy in Sweden's agricultural and food systems, for improved competitiveness, higher resilience, and better climate performance. The Agrodrive consortium brings together dozens of actors from academia, the public, and the private sector. Thus, it offers a transdisciplinary platform on which to collectively develop and implement fossil-free solutions in the food system.

While the successful candidate will conduct their PhD studies at LUCSUS, they will also be affiliated with the Agrodrive Academy. The Academy links the research projects of three different PhD students (two at SLU Uppsala and one at Lund University) with each other. The Academy serves as a meeting place and support network for the students. It will arrange regular activities such as bi-weekly online meetings, in-person seminars and writing retreats. The Academy is led by two experienced researchers from LUCSUS and SLU who will support the students within their PhD studies, or programs.  

General qualifications

The requirements for admission to third cycle courses and study programmes (in accordance with HF, Chapter 7, Section 35) are that the applicant:

• meets the general and specific entry requirements that the higher education institution may have laid down, and
• is considered in other respects to have the ability required to benefit from the course or study programme (Swedish Code of Statutes 2010:1064).

A person meets the general entry requirements for third cycle courses and study programmes if (s)he:

• has been awarded a second cycle qualification by the start of the appointment (1st of September, 2025),
• has satisfied the requirements for courses comprising at least 240 credits of which at least 60 credits were awarded in the second cycle or has acquired substantially equivalent knowledge in some other way in Sweden or internationally.

Required qualifications

The successful candidate will carry out independent, interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research that focuses on scenario development and participatory normative visioning. This work entails close engagement with stakeholder within and outside the project consortium. There will be scope for the PhD candidate to define their own interests and priorities within the project’s larger set-up. However, the main research tasks for the position will be linked closely to the project’s objectives (briefly outlined above). The main geographical focus will be on Sweden but case studies from other countries can serve as complementary research. The geographical focus entails that the PhD candidates will have to work in the Swedish language when conducting interviews, focus group workshops, and outreach activities (e.g. popular science publications in local media).

The ideal PhD candidate for the position will have the following specific qualifications:

• A Master degree in Sustainability Science, Human Geography, Human Ecology, Environmental Science, Physical Geography, Agricultural Sciences, Anthropology, Political Science, Sociology, or a related field, completed latest by the 1st of September 2025.
• A strong and documented interest in climate change, energy politics and/or the food system.
• Experience with participatory methods, co-development of participatory workshops, leading and moderating workshops and group discussions.
• Experiences of working in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary ways, using both quantitative and qualitative methods and tools.
• A strong interest in critical social science questions, as documented for example by previous engagements (e.g. in the Master thesis) with political economy, political ecology, transition research, science and technologies studies or similar.
• Excellent skills in written and spoken English and very good language skills in Swedish.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of an interdisciplinary, inclusive and international research team and environment.
• Enthusiasm to contribute to teaching at LUCSUS and to work with master’s students.

Desired qualifications

In addition, the following qualification strengthen a candidate’s profile:

• Experience with scientific publishing
• Experience with research methods relevant to the project (e.g., policy analysis, visioning, scenario development and stakeholder workshops)
• Experience with creative methods (drawing, painting, movie making, graphic design etc.)
• Familiarity with theories and concepts relevant to the project (e.g. transition theories, just transition)

Assessment criteria

Only applicants who are eligible for third cycle studies may be appointed to a doctoral studentship. Admission is primarily to be based on the applicant’s ability to benefit from the third cycle programme.

The applicants will be assessed based on the criteria named above and, in particular, their ability to conduct independent research and their ability and interest to contribute to a new and developing research field. As third cycle studies in sustainability science are demanding, the applicant must be highly motivated and able to work independently under multiple time constraints. [SB1] [HB2] Good collaboration and communication skills are also required, as is proficiency in written and spoken English. Scandinavian language skills are an advantage, but not a requirement.

Application procedure

Applications are to be submitted electronically via the Lund University application portal. The application must include:

• A cover letter in English of max. 2 500 words. This should contain a brief presentation of yourself, your motivation and qualifications for carrying out PhD research. The letter should also contain a statement on why you would like to work on this specific project, how your qualifications make you suitable for the position (with reference to the specific qualifications listed above), and what individual interests and priorities you would like to pursue within the project’s overall aims if your application were successful.
• A CV in English (2 pages max) that demonstrates your qualifications for the third cycle programme in Sustainability Science (including publications, if relevant)
• Degree and grade certificates.
• A copy of your degree thesis/theses, corresponding to at least 30 credits (30 credits Master’s degree thesis, or 15 credits Master’s degree thesis plus 15 credits Bachelor's degree thesis).
• Name and contact information of three professional references (note: letters of reference are not required in the first stage of application).
• If you are not a native speaker of a Scandinavian language, please provide a language certificate.

Interviews will be conducted with a shortlisted number of applicants during the final stages of the admission process. Lund University encourages applicants with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We regard gender equality and diversity as a strength and an asset. We kindly decline all sales and marketing contacts.